xoio: DJI Mavic Pro - specs ... Range 4.2 miles, Endurance 29 mins, Altitude 4200M !Unless you're in the UK, where you'll be only allowed to hover it in your bedroom, and only then with both mummy AND daddy's permission. And if you are allowed to take it outside, you have to clip wheels on it and drive it around like a R/C car.

When it comes to the law nit-picking is absolutely required. Or you get crap laws like a number of examples around the world - the Dangerous Dogs Act in the Uk being a well known example of knee-jerkingly badly worded rubbish.

PhotoKhan: "The upcoming law may also include a ban on operating drones near airports or above 400ft."

It is already unlawful to fly a drone above 400ft and near airports or airfields in most countries in Europe, as it already is in my own and in the UK:

http://dronesafe.uk/drone-code/

I know this is always a topic that attracts web traffic but please, try to be more informed before writing pieces on the subject.

Nope, the ANO does not limit RPAs (with cameras) to 400' AGL, they are limited to VLOS. The actual limits are from controlled airspace, which can and do vary seemingly at random. Also check the difference between plain vanilla and surveillance sections; one has a limit, the other doesn't but the latter invokes the spectre of poorly defined congested areas.

xoio: DJI Mavic Pro - specs ... Range 4.2 miles, Endurance 29 mins, Altitude 4200M !Unless you're in the UK, where you'll be only allowed to hover it in your bedroom, and only then with both mummy AND daddy's permission. And if you are allowed to take it outside, you have to clip wheels on it and drive it around like a R/C car.

This is what happens when some people (intentionally?) mis-read specs.

"Altitude 4200M" is the working max altitude for take off - i.e. the point at which the air is too thin to take off. The aircraft itself is limited to 500M above take off point - but defaults to much less unless you go into the settings to change it.

Parazzo: How exactly does my email get transmitted to the AeroScope? Does using a DJI drone just mean that my email address is transmitted over the air? Sounds like a new attack vector to collect email addresses that are confirmed and of people rich enough to own a drone.

Or does the drone just broadcast an ID and each AeroScope owner gets a regular feed of drone IDs and their corresponding email addresses? That sounds even worse for privacy. Does DJI just send a feed of all their users' personal email to anybody claiming to have a right to know it because they own a AeroScope or Is there legal oversight over all of this?

This is why you are *forced* to login to their app and register with their back-end - or your aircraft is limited to only flying a few meters in each direction. They didn't implement this "feature" for safety.

Derek Dean: Seems to me you'll are missing the point. In my opinion, DJI is showing a real concern and responsibility for the potential mis-use of their drones.

In a perfect world, folks wouldn't fly their drones near airports or cause fire fighting aircraft to be grounded because of their selfish desire for that perfect shot of a burning forest.

But, all it takes is a few folks who don't consider the consequences of their actions when using their drones irresponsibly, and it results in these types of responses.

Personally, I applaud DJI for taking the imitative with this new tracking technology. It might not be perfect, but as far as I can see, it's a step in the right direction.

I cam here to make the same point as BJN. I would even go so far as to say that this tech is not just to deflect attention but as a sop to the authoritarian governments that want to track consumer drones and not just near airports and no fly zones. Like the US and China as a start.

Note: I have used Android devices since Donut days and I have no iOS ones, so I am not just being anti story for the sake of it.

Background: I used to use a Panasonic DMC-CM1 "camera" phone - why else am I one this site if not for camera tech? - and we had a seemingly genuinely rogue app at work, but distributed through the Play Store that would open the camera and mic on every start-up and I only knew this because the physical lens on the phone would open and close quickly. The vendor claims to have "fixed" this non-standard device discovery (they say) but I refuse to reinstall the app.

* The app would close / crash / restart in the background, so this happened without manual app start-up

Ah, memories. Still have mine in the cupboard at home, it was replaced by a 1DsIII after about 2 years. It's worn well but I've hardly used either in a while. Must get back in the saddle and relive some happy days.

Peter Galbavy: I've had my Mavic for about the same amount of time having ordered it a few days after launch and got it a few days before a holiday in Australia. I took both my Pahntom 4 and the new-to-me Mavic and once I had done some test flights I almost exclusively flew the Mavic.

The Australians have far simpler, more reasonable and useable rules on RPAs (drones) both for recreational fliers and also commercial fliers under 2kg. If only others like the UK would adopt this kind of regulation it would be great for everyone (https://www.casa.gov.au/modelaircraft)

While I am more of a still photographer from experience I am trying to learn how to plan, shoot and edit video and flying a drone with a reasonable 4k camera is a really fun way of doing it. If you want professional result you will need both more experience and probably better kit - but that's the same for anything.

It's fun. Expensive fun, but fun. Just be safe and be careful and it works.

I flew the Mavic more simply because of convenience. There is a slight change in the field-of-view versus the P4 and the need to remember to now focus but apart from that the feature set is almost identical. The P4 still feels more stable, but I think that's more psychology than fact.

jaydubbs15: Once battery life has been extended and noise reduced, I would think that drones could become very useful photographic tools, such as photographing outdoor social or sporting events. I would like my son's baseball games videoed from the outfield or homeplate. He made a catch last year in left field that might have been captured if I had a drone to do it with. Each year my high school gang get together for a football game and tailgating party. My friend's son used a drone to capture some footage of the party, and because of the large number of participants, that footage was quite nice and useful.

Note that with the DJI products like none of the automated modes (Auto Track or Terrain Follow) will they follow or track downhill. This is intentional but DJI will not explain why.

jaydubbs15: Once battery life has been extended and noise reduced, I would think that drones could become very useful photographic tools, such as photographing outdoor social or sporting events. I would like my son's baseball games videoed from the outfield or homeplate. He made a catch last year in left field that might have been captured if I had a drone to do it with. Each year my high school gang get together for a football game and tailgating party. My friend's son used a drone to capture some footage of the party, and because of the large number of participants, that footage was quite nice and useful.

The Mavic is 10dB quieter than the Phantom 4 - still loud, but above about 15m / 50ft it's not very noisy at all, wind depending.

Reactive: "Suddenly I can shoots stills and videos of friends skateboarding, or snowboarding or an outdoor concert". Can you really? In the UK, flying a drone anywhere near other people in a public place is illegal. Flying over your backyard is not allowed as you are snooping on your neighbour. And so many idiots use them that even tighter rules are in preparation (e.g. licensing). And all that expense for what? More and more same-old aerial shots that are already becoming boring. Yes, drones are great tools for the occasional shot on a TV documentary, otherwise impossible movie action shots, or architectural surveying, but in amateur hands they're just an expensive one-hit wonder.

You're right. The UK has particularly dumb rules based on many years of "old guys in sheds" building and flying petrol powered behemoth model RCs and the dangers associated with their speed, weight and stability. Sadly the new consultancy that's just been launched appear to have pre-decided some even less useful rules and regardless of what we may respond with they will, as ever, ignore everyone to do exactly what they want.

One the subject of boring videos - again I agree, but the same thing goes for normal photography which is the normal staple of this site. Sometimes talent emerges and produces new art that stands out from the morass of boredom. How many cat pictures can we have? (Not enough, but hey...) We have to have the tools to allow those innovators to achieve their creations.

I've had my Mavic for about the same amount of time having ordered it a few days after launch and got it a few days before a holiday in Australia. I took both my Pahntom 4 and the new-to-me Mavic and once I had done some test flights I almost exclusively flew the Mavic.

The Australians have far simpler, more reasonable and useable rules on RPAs (drones) both for recreational fliers and also commercial fliers under 2kg. If only others like the UK would adopt this kind of regulation it would be great for everyone (https://www.casa.gov.au/modelaircraft)

While I am more of a still photographer from experience I am trying to learn how to plan, shoot and edit video and flying a drone with a reasonable 4k camera is a really fun way of doing it. If you want professional result you will need both more experience and probably better kit - but that's the same for anything.

It's fun. Expensive fun, but fun. Just be safe and be careful and it works.

Aroart: This coming from a multicopter copter hobbies that has been flying for over 10yrs..Nowhere on DJI'S website are calling there copters drones .. Even the military stopped calling them drones they are now called UAV'S.... I find it rather amusing ....

Just to add more confusion some authorities/countries like to call them RPAs (Remotely Piloted Aircraft). But at least the Aussies have more sensible rules than many other English speaking countries. Sigh.